Governor Gibbons Discusses Border Security
Initiatives with Arizona Governor
GOVERNOR JIM GIBBONS met with Governor Janet Napolitano today [August 23, 2007] and discussed several issues pertaining to homeland security, including the trafficking of methamphetamine, fraudulent U.S. identification, and border security.
"I know, as Governor Napolitano knows, that border security issues impact us all, particularly Arizona and Nevada," said Governor Gibbons.
Governor Gibbons and Governor Napolitano, joined by their Directors of Public Safety and Homeland Security, discussed the need to bolster existing law enforcement efforts at the Arizona-Mexico border to better track and eliminate the trafficking of drugs.
"Our law enforcement officers are doing a tremendous job at the states' borders. However, organized crime rings continue to develop new and innovative ways to circumvent law enforcement to transport illicit drugs between Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada. Nevada and Arizona share a significant concern about the threats of illegal immigration and importation of methamphetamine, and Governor Napolitano and I agree that by working together in a bipartisan manner, we can increase existing security efforts to reduce the threats to our state," Governor Gibbons added.
The Governors also discussed efforts to combat the production of fraudulent documents, which are most often produced in southwestern states such as Arizona, Nevada, and California. Currently, Arizona has found their Fraudulent Identification Task Force to be widely successful, confiscating thousands of fake documents each year.
"I am very concerned by the number of falsified documents being confiscated here in Nevada. It is important that we find the producers of these documents and hold them accountable. We will be looking into the feasibility of creating such a task force here in Nevada," Governor Gibbons concluded.
Photo: Governor Gibbons pictured with Governor Napolitano following today's meeting.
